Page 4 - Citizenship Act

CAA to be implemented across India in a week: BJP leader's 'guarantee'

Thakur claimed that people who have migrated into the country after 1971 have the right to vote but he has heard from some quarters that such people are being deprived of their voting rights

Russia speeds up citizenship path for foreigners who enlist in military

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree that speeds up a path to Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the country's military amid the 22-month-old war in Ukraine. The move comes as Moscow is trying to replenish its troops in Ukraine by various methods, including the recruitment of migrants. Russia is a magnet for hundreds of thousands of people from poorer Central Asian countries, and many of them seek citizenship each year. Putin first allowed fast-track citizenship for foreigners who sign contracts with the Russian army in September 2022, shortly after announcing a partial mobilization to draft 300,000 reservists for Ukraine. Those immigrants who signed a contract for at least a year and take part in active hostilities for at least six months were allowed to apply for citizenship without demonstrating sufficient knowledge of Russian or the fact that they'd lived in the country for five straight years under a residency permit. Spouses and children were also

Priyank Kharge attacks Amit Shah for his comment on CAA implementation

Shah said that no one can stop the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as it is the law of the land

Assam illegal immigrants: SC to examine Citizenship Act's validity on Dec 5

The Supreme Court is scheduled to commence hearing on December 5 to examine the constitutional validity of section 6A of the Citizenship Act relating to illegal immigrants in Assam. Section 6A in the Citizenship Act was inserted as a special provision to deal with the citizenship of people covered by the Assam Accord. The provision provides that those who have come to Assam on or after January 1, 1966 but before March 25, 1971 from specified territories, including Bangladesh, as per the Citizenship Act amended in 1985, and since then are residents of Assam must register themselves under section 18 for citizenship. As a result, the provision fixes March 25, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam. As per the cause list uploaded on the apex court website, a five-judge constitution bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices Surya Kant, M M Sundresh, J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra would take up the matter for hearing on ...

No one can stop CAA implementation, says Amit Shah at Kolkata rally

Home Minister Amit Shah asserted on Wednesday that the Central government will implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and no one can stop it. Addressing a big rally here to launch the party's Lok Sabha campaign, Shah launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issues of appeasement, infiltration, corruption and political violence and urged people to throw out her government and elect the BJP in the next assembly polls. Lauding the turnout at the rally, he said this indicates the people's mood and claimed that the BJP will come to power with two-third majority in the state in 2026. The BJP's performance in the state in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will create the foundation of its win in the assembly polls, he said. Turning to the contentious CAA issue, he said Banerjee has been opposing it but no one can stop its implementation, which has been in a limbo as the central government is yet to frame its rules amid the opposition's strong stand against the ...

CAA final draft likely to be ready by March 30, 2024: Union min Ajay Mishra

Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra on Sunday said that the final draft of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA is expected to be ready by March 30 next year. The BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, while addressing a gathering of the Matua community at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district, asserted that nobody can snatch citizenship rights from Matuas, who had fled religious persecution in Bangladesh. "The process to roll out CAA has gained momentum in the last couple of years... some issues are being sorted out. Nobody can snatch citizenship rights from the Matuas. By March next year, the final draft of the CAA is expected to be ready for coming into force," he said to a thundering applause. Local BJP MP and Union minister Santanu Thakur was by his side. The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan entering India before December 31, 2014. Reacting to the claim, TMC Rajya Sabha

Assam Accord: SC to hear Sec 6A of Citizenship Act challenge pleas on Dec 5

The Assam NRC is meant to identify illegal immigrants in the State who migrated from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971

SC to hear on the validity of Citizenship Act's Sec 6A on December 5

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will commence hearing on December 5 to examine the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act relating to illegal immigrants in Assam. Section 6A in the Citizenship Act was inserted as a special provision to deal with the citizenship of people covered by the Assam Accord. The provision provides that those who have come to Assam on or after January 1, 1966 but before March 25, 1971 from specified territories, including Bangladesh, as per the Citizenship Act amended in 1985, and since then are residents of Assam must register themselves under section 18 for citizenship. As a result, the provision fixes March 25, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud deferred the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter. "I am mentioning on my behalf and on behalf of the Attorney General for India. The case coming up tomorrow is th

SC to start hearing on validity of Citizenship Act's Section 6A on Oct 17

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will commence hearing on October 17 to examine the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act relating to illegal immigrants in Assam. Section 6A in the Citizenship Act was inserted as a special provision to deal with the citizenship of people covered by the Assam Accord. The provision provides that those who have come to Assam on or after January 1, 1966 but before March 25, 1971 from specified territories, including Bangladesh, as per the Citizenship Act amended in 1985, and since then are residents of Assam. They must register themselves under section 18 for citizenship. As a result, the provision fixes March 25, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud noted that nodal counsels have prepared common compilation in the matter. However, common compilation needs to be streamlined. "A common index shall be prepar

Don't allow people coming from outside to impose CAA, NRC: Mamata Banerjee

In a veiled attack on the BJP at an election rally in Meghalaya, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party will not allow people coming from outside to impose CAA and NRC on residents of the northeastern state. She also accused the Conrad Sangma government in the state of not undertaking development work in the state and being involved in the scandal. Don't allow people coming from outside to impose CAA, NRC on you, Banerjee said at the poll rally in Meghalaya. TMC can develop Meghalaya.change this government...nothing is here. Not a medical college, not a good health system for treatment, no development but the scandal is there, she said. Banerjee also appealed to people to vote for her party. Vote for TMC in Meghalaya, we will oust BJP from Delhi: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee at a poll rally, she added.

Delhi court discharges Sharjeel Imam, Asif Iqbal in '19 Jamia violence case

However, Imam, who is also an accused under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the conspiracy case related to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots case, will remain in custody

Will first decide on validity of Citizenship Act's Section 6A, says SC

Section 6A deals with 'special provisions as to the citizenship of persons covered by the Assam Accord'

Centre gets extension to frame CAA rules for 7th consecutive time

The Rajya Sabha committee has accepted the Centre's request for six more months to frame rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for the seventh time in a row

Citizenship law row: SC asks lawyers to decide issues for adjudication

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the counsel for the contesting parties to decide issues for adjudication in a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act relating to illegal immigrants in Assam. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the petitions needed to be segregated and the issues needed to be formulated for adjudication. The bench, also comprising justices M R Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli, and P S Narasimha, agreed to the submissions that the petitions be kept for directions on January 10 next year for issuing the directions with regard to laying down parameters for the hearing. We are going to resolve how the matters have to be segregated. We will sit together and resolve this. Just put it on after vacation, Sibal said. The counsel would segregate the cases which fall for decision .

Anti-CAA protest: Northeast's students' body to observe Black Day on Dec 11

The North East Students' Organisation on Friday said it would observe December 11 as 'Black Day' across the region in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA. On December 11, 2019, Rajya Sabha approved the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, completing the legislative procedure for giving Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. "December 11 will always be remembered as a 'Black Day' for the entire Northeast," NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa said here. Members of the NESO, the umbrella organisation of the influential students' bodies in the Northeastern states, will put up black flags and black banners in important places across the region, he said. "This demonstration is to give a message to the Government of India that we are against this Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019," he added. Urging the people of the region to unite against the "draconian law", Jyra said it was yet another "political injustice" that the indigenous people of

CAA takes into account historical context, ground realities: India to UNHRC

India on Thursday told the UN Human Rights Council that its Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 is a limited and focused legislation that reaffirms the country's commitment to the welfare of persecuted minorities in the region and takes into account "historical context and the current ground realities". As the Universal Periodic Review of India's human rights record is underway in Geneva, some member states raised concerns over the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The CAA is a limited and focused legislation, which reaffirms India's commitment to the welfare of persecuted minorities in the region, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta said in his response. He added that the legislation is similar to laws that exist elsewhere in defining specific criteria for citizenship pathways. The criteria defined here is specific to India and its neighborhood and takes into account the historical context and the current ground realities," he said. He added that it is aimed at enablin

BJP using CAA, NRC with eye on Gujarat assembly polls: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was "using" Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) with an eye on the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo asserted that she will never allow the implementation of CAA or NRC in West Bengal. She accused the saffron camp of trying to "bring in its supporters from other states and make them voters of West Bengal, while snatching the rights of the permanent residents of the eastern state". Iterating that the BJP won't return to power after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Banerjee said that the country's political situation was changing fast, and it is very different from that of 2019. "Whenever any election approaches, the BJP speaks of implementing CAA and NRC. With upcoming Gujarat assembly polls later this year, and Lok Sabha elections just a year-and-a-half away, it has again started to flare up the CAA issue. "Will the BJP decide who is

Won't allow BJP to implement CAA, says Mamata; it will be done: Minister

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday slammed the Centre for the possible implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, claiming that the BJP was raking the issue ahead of the Gujarat assembly election. Hours later, Union Minister of State for Home Nisith Pramanik asserted that the CAA will be gradually implemented across the country. The Centre had on Monday decided to grant Indian citizenship to minorities mostly from Pakistan, who have migrated to India, and are currently living in two districts of Gujarat, under the Citizenship Act, 1955, and not the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA). "Stop all these politics. They (BJP) are doing it because there are elections in Gujarat. We will not let them implement it. To us, all are citizens (of India). We are against this," Banerjee told reporters at the Kolkata airport before leaving for Chennai. She has travelled to the southern Indian city to attend a family gathering of West Bengal Governor La Ganesan. "I

India to grant citizenship to Pak, B'desh, Afghan minorities under 1955 Act

The Centre on Monday decided to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and currently living in two districts of Gujarat under the Citizenship Act, 1955. The move to grant citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and not the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) bears significance. The CAA also provides for granting Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, but as the rules under the Act have not been framed by the government yet, no one so far could be granted citizenship under it. According to a Union home ministry notification, those Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians residing in the districts of Anand and Mehsana in Gujarat will be allowed registration as a citizen of India under section 5 or will be granted certificate of naturalisation under section 6 of the ...

Pleas on CAA: SC grants time to Assam, Tripura; fixes Dec 6 for hearing

The Supreme Court on Monday granted three weeks to Assam and Tripura governments to file their responses to certain pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and fixed December 6 for hearing a batch of petitions on the issue. A bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit appointed two lawyers - Pallavi Pratap and Kanu Agarawal as nodal counsel to assist it in ensuring the smooth handling of over 230 pleas by preparing a common compilation and deciding the petitions that can be treated as the lead ones. The bench, also comprising justices S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the petition filed by Indian Union of Muslim League (IUML) can be treated as the lead matter as the pleadings in this case was complete. "Having noted that there are various matters projecting multiple issues, in our view the resolution to instant controversy can be achieved if two-three matters are tak